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7.6.13

Leading a Teachers' Association in
times of crisis

To Bessy, Sevi, Vicky,
Tri, Eftichis, Sophia, Vangelis, and all those who made a dream
come true

There is a small country in a corner of this
world which has been hit by the crisis. Unemployment rates have reached
record highs - in the vicinity of 30%, the economy has been devastated by
ruthless austerity policies imposed by moneylenders and its people saw their
salaries decreasing practically overnight by 22-40%!!! This has been
combined with merciless taxation. Highly qualified staff is underpaid or has
not been paid for months, working hours
have increased while braindrain has reached epidemic levels. On top of that,
the country has consistently been ‘raped’ by the international media over the
past three years: the inhabitants have been labelled as lazy
despite OECD surveys indicating they work longer hours than most of their
European counterparts;Shamefully, its long culture and history have been
ridiculed; monuments which are icons of democracy, freedom, equality and
pedagogy have often been "defaced" in the most vulgar way on magazine
covers and newspaper front pages.

How would you feel if you had to take over as
the chairperson of the local English teachers' association (T.A.) under these
circumstances? This is an account of my voyage to "Ithaca" as the
chairperson of TESOL Greece and I hope that some of the tips I am giving below
may help other teacher associations in crisis.

BackgroundThe news broke unexpectedly in September when
the chairperson had to move abroad for professional reasons in the midst of her
tenure. According to the bylaws, the vice chair takes over. I don't
believe in omens but when I assessed the situation it didn't seem very hopeful.
The members had suffered a severe blow (income wise), the chair had already
moved abroad and two members of the board of directors were soon to follow; the
cost of travelling from the countryside to the capital -where most events are
held- was prohibiting. The board - seriously understaffed - had to organize and
host 8 events and an international convention in a professional field where
sponsors are an endangered species. Even worse, Harry Potter was not around to
lend us his magic wand...

On a less humorous and more realistic
note, the dilemma posed for a TA in such conditions is : either downsize
by cutting down on events/services and wait until the crisis is over or
offer more for less money in order to increase membership.

The former stance seemed closer to the Troika
policies which devastated the Greek economy. The latter seemed to be what the
members and potential members needed most in a crisis: An association on their
side, to support, motivate and give them
courage to go on with their mission, to educate children under adverse
conditions.The choice seemed obvious and clear from the
very beginning. "The only way is up! We embrace the community investing in
our members!"But how can this be achieved?

Having had no previous experience as a chairman,
I found the following 12 points helpful in my attempt to keep the association
alive:

1. ListenMost members have brilliant ideas but do not
forward them to the board because they
do not know the procedure and feel their contribution is unimportant . On
the contrary, very often a suggestion by a member -slightly modified to the
association's reality- can be life saving.

2. Choosing close associatesMake sure that you choose people you can trust
and communicate well with as your
closest associates. Mutual understanding can save time and lead to a smooth
handling of projects and issues that may arise. I was lucky to have a vice
chair, a treasurer and Newsletter editor who spoke their minds openly and
shared the same vision. This helped TG organize many events and run projects
that were initially considered overambitious for their size and membership.

3 Get to know thy membershipThe potential of a TA should not be limited to the board. Getting a
clear picture of the members’ profiles
and professional achievements can
help you recruit the right people to run events or projects . Despite what was
believed, I soon realized that TESOL Greece has experienced, highly qualified
members who excel both in Greece and abroad. Most of them are willing to share
their expertise in various fields either in the form of articles or
presentations.

4. Reshuffle and recruitVoluntary organizations do not have the luxury
to hire experts in certain fields. Redelegate duties or support overworked
teams with experienced volunteers. Usually past members of the board have the
experience and are willing to help if necessary. From my experience at the 2004
Olympics and over the years in TESOL, always recruit more volunteers than you
need. The reason is simple. It is only human not to be able to make it either
due to a minor flu or a family issue that may arise at the very last minute.
The spare volunteer can and will make up for the absentee.

Recruit people with a vision. They are highly likely
to work autonomously and develop a project without stagnating or
unnecessary panicking. They are usually people who will overcome
difficulties and give a boost to the project using their creativity,
imagination, hard work and expertise. TESOL Greece was fortunate to have such
people. Here are two recent examples: The blogmaster managed to boost the blog
to 20,000 views within 4 months attracting a readership from all four corners
of this world and the webmaster managed to build a brand new website within two
months. Both worked on a voluntary basis and in essence acted as de facto
project managers.

5. Delegate and involveEven if a day had 48 hours and you had 6 hands,
it is highly unlikely that one person can do everything. In this case you will
soon end up worn out and behind schedule. Your help will be necessary sooner or
later but make sure that you delegate duties and involve as many members of the
board and the TA as you can. This is not a one man show but your role resembles
that of an orchestra conductor. Fine tuning takes more time than doing the job
by yourself but pays off in the long run when you are surrounded by a team who
are confident and supportive of each
other. This was actually one of the comments I heard at the recent TESOL Greece
convention that made me happy.

6. Communicate with your membersVery often a lot of hard work and effort is put
into organizing and creating but if you don't communicate it to members
and potential members, they are highly unlikely to find out. Mass mail,
facebook group, twitter, newsletter or any other medium that can convey the
information accurately and in time will do. What may seem unimportant to
you, may count for some of your members. Informing them on a regular basis
(without excess) strengthens the bond of the community and prevents feelings of
exclusion or allegations that you and the board act secretly forming
clans(heard that too...) Bethany Cagnol of TESOL France has acted as a source
of inspiration with her brilliant way of communicating through the social media
and promoting her association's events.

7. Think forward and innovate

A new era requires new ways of communicating and
facilitating continuous professional development. Consider introducing
webinars; Live streaming for members who cannot attend because of the distance
or a busy schedule but will still find a slot to attend the presentation.
Encourage communication and exchange of opinions on teaching matters through a
TA blog. TG's TESOL saw an unprecedented popularity within months which
indicates the need of the community to (re)visit certain EFL areas.

8. Cater for their needs

Academia enlightens teachers but when it comes
to dealing with everyday issues, practical workshops are much appreciated.
Working longer hours means that teachers have less time to prepare, less time
to devote to "charging batteries" and very often burn themselves out.
At certain events, speakers were asked to give workshops with hands on
activities and material. Most of our members felt thankful and reported that
they felt inspired to go to the class the next morning.

9. Give creditDon't be afraid to give credit to good ideas and
hard work. As a chairperson, you are already overexposed to the media.
Acknowledging others simply shows that you can work in a team and people are
more likely to be involved if they feel their voluntary work is recognized and
appreciated.

10. Seize every opportunity to network and
establish alliancesDue to the economic strife, most TAs have
realized that strengthening bonds, exchanging experience, speakers, articles
and displaying solidarity are essential to the survival of the field. During my
tenure, I found out that TAs have more in common than previously thought.
I attended a TA conference in Ankara in December 2012 where a number of
delegates expressed their concerns and presented the problems they face which
bore striking similarities.

Even though you cannot expect financial aid,
smaller gestures can make a difference. For example, TESOL international
covered the flight expenses of a plenary speaker at our international
convention which allowed us to be more flexible with other minor financial
issues. IATEFL gave us permission to adopt their guidelines which saved time
and effort and allowed us to use our human resources in other positions.
Finally, contacting directly other presidents about minor issues that usually
arise, prevents misunderstandings, promotes collaboration and facilitates
effective problem solving.

11. Reach out to the ELT communityYou and your TA are not alone in a shark
infested sea. In a crisis, everybody is hit including the ELT industry.
Sponsors are rare but if you approach them in a win-win mood making allowances
and taking their concerns into consideration, you will be surprised by their
positive response! Such an approach brought us an unexpectedly high number of
exhibitors and created a feeling of solidarity and unity in the EFL field.

12. United we standSolidarity and team work are the most precious
features of an association. Team spirit can overcome any logistics,
financial difficulty and can make or break an event. It is worth devoting time,
energy and activities to help members build bonds. During the international
convention, the tight budget was outweighed by the voluntary spirit of the
members who identified with the association and did their best to help
delegates.

Fighting against the odds may not be a lost battle
after all…TESOL Greece saw a 15% rise in its membership
and managed to strengthen bonds within the community in the darkest hour.

Looking back, I can now tell that it was no rose
garden and there was no red carpet treatment. If you are the chairperson, there will be times when sleep will be your
most sought after dream; there will be times when people will not share your
perspective; they may tell you are "too little or unsuitable for the
position"; your proposals maybe be questioned just for the sake of doing
so.... There will be suggestions to invite speakers with a 4 or 5 digit
honorarium. You may even be asked to offer free membership to members who
simply stated a different opinion (at a time when the TA's budget is tighter
than ever). Most of these requests are usually forwarded in good spirit but
eventually you are the one who has a clear, overall picture of the
landscape and has to make a decision. Saying "NO" can be difficult
but on the other hand you are not a politician and there is no point for
demagogy. Most well intentioned members will understand if you explain
the situation at the general meeting or in a message on the social media.

No matter how stressful it may have been, I am
grateful. Seeing it from a distance, it is also a unique challenge to discover
yourself! You soon realize that you have more stamina you thought you had.
Your time management skills are tested to their limits but are also developed
day by day. Synthesizing ideas and having to communicate with people from all
walks of life are unique experiences that you don't have in your daily teaching
routine. You learn how to deal with minor and major crises without shouting and
screaming but remaining cool and using your critical ability to the maximum -
much appreciated in my role as a father. Synergy with colleagues who
specialize in different areas of ELT can teach you a great deal and help you
see the situation from a completely different perspective.

In an economic crisis, teachers are the first
ones to suffer loss of income, receive pressure and tension both inside and
outside the classroom, deal with one of themost vulnerable groups of the
population: children and teenagers. They absorb the aftershocks of poverty,
unemployment and they have to be a source of stability and "routine"
(necessary to make children feel secure) in an environment that changes rapidly
around them with the consequences often being dramatic. In such a context,
teachers sometimesfeel their work is denigrated; their morale and self- esteem
often plunge and they are susceptible to depression and burn out. A TA
should be there to support and remind
them that they are not alone in this battle!

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing
a community recognizing hard work and making plans and dreams for the next
academic year being creative instead of pitying themselves. There is something
unique in being trusted the fate of a teachers' association: You support those
who support, empower and inspire a young generation that will build tomorrow's
world.

3 comments:

Great post Dimitris. As the President of the Belgian English Language Teachers Association, I identified with this a lot! The difference is that we are a brand new association, so we have a lot to learn from you. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

Thanks Dimitris for this. I was in a similar situation as you 7 years ago when I "fell" into the presidency of IATEFL Slovenia. I am happy to report that after 7 years, despite the crisis in the country and in many people's heads we are on the rise. Also because of the good decisions we made and most of them are the same as yours :) So keep up the good work, there are many who can appreciate it :)